Investigation And Analysis Of Workplace Violence In Two General Hospitals In Wenzhou

Objective Through investigation and analysis of the workplace violence in the hospital, we discuss the operable responsive measures and defense strategies to prevent the workplace violence in the hospital.Methods A cluster sample of568medical personnel completed the self-administered survey questionnaire, including information about the workplace violence they suffered from November2010to October2011in two third-grade class-A general hospitals in Wenzhou. We sent out a total of600questionnaires and took back568valid questionnaires with a response rate of94.7%. SPSS19.0statistical software was used for analysis of the data. Differences of the incidence of violence between the groups were compared using the chi-square test or trend chi-square test. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression model were used to analyze the relationship between hospital workplace violence related factors.Results The result shows that369of568(65.0%) hospital personnel have suffered from workplace violence, including verbal aggression60.2%(342/568), physical attack18.5%(105/568) and sexual assault2.6%(15/568). Statistically, the incidence rates for medical personnel of different ages, working tenures, educational backgrounds, working department and job titles, who has suffered from workplace violence were significantly different. While there was no difference between genders. Trend χ2test showed that those with lower age, working years, and the profession title got higher incidences of violence (P<0.05). Unvaried logistic regression analysis showed that age, work department, work tenure, job title, and are the four statistically significant characteristic variables. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, compared with the group of people over60years old, those aged50years or below have higher risk of violence; physicians and nurses have higher risk than those who are in administrative or other positions; those who have less than20years of work experience has higher risk than those have over20years of work experience; those who have senior title are less risky than those who have primary or lower job titles.57.7%(213/369) of violence cases occurred in the evening/night shift period.32.5%(120/369) and29.3%(108/369) took place at the nurse’s station and clinic.72.9%(269/369) of the perpetrators are family members of the patients.43.4%(160/369) of the perpetrators are younger than30years old.56.1%(207/369) of medical personnel feel aggrieved by the hospital workplace violence, and50.9%(188/369) of them felt decline of enthusiasm for the work. Nevertheless,72.1%(266/369) said that workplace violence does not have much impact on the daily work. In response to workplace violence,42.5%(157/369) of medical personnel chose to patiently explain to patients about the situation, and32%(118/369) of them selected tolerance and avoidance. The main reasons for the workplace violence are as follows:hospital services are not satisfying; latency of recovery as expected; the waiting time is too long; and the perpetrators of alcohol or drug abuse. Medical personnel don’t have enough knowledge about the workplace violence. They believe following response measures can effectively prevent or reduce hospital workplace violence:improving the service attitude and interpersonal communication skills, perfecting the treatment process, shortening waiting time, orienting the media correctly, advocating respect for medical works.Conclusion The workplace violence is quite serious in Wenzhou, which is closely related with the age, work department, work tenure, and job title of the medical personnel, etc. Night shift, nurse’s station and clinic have a high incidence of workplace violence. Hospital workplace violence has adverse effects on medical personnel psychologically, and physically, and on their occupational attitude. The following response measures may effectively prevent or reduce it:improving the attitude of service and interpersonal communication skills, perfecting the treatment process, shortening the waiting time, orienting the media correctly, and advocating respect for medical works.